Dungeons And Dragons
by Firetop
Summary: Chase comes back to work, but he’s not the same. A sequal to How Do You Deal!
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: HI! waves at all the readers> Just as I promised, a sequel of sorts. This takes place about 2 months after How Do You Deal. As a warning Chase and House do act a bit OOC, but I think I'm allowed considering the situation I put both of them in. Please let me know what you think. The title is symbolic and will hopefully make sense in upcomming chapters.

* * *

Chase paused before turning the corner. He could do this. He wasn't going to run again. Not this time. 

That was the reason he was here today.

He knew he still had two weeks and more if he needed it before he had to be back. But Chase knew that if it wasn't today he would never go back. And he was tired of running.

He reached into his pocked and opened one of the pill bottles, taking a pill out. Swallowing it dry he counted backwards from 15.

He could do this. He was 27, almost 28. It was time for him to be a man. He knew his father would be proud.

Glancing at his watch again he noticed the time. 10 Am. The rest of the crew was already in there working. He could do this.

Chase took a deep breath, readjusted his crutches and turned the corner.

* * *

When the door opened Cameron and Foreman both looked up out of habit. Cameron's "Chase." Got House to look up also. 

"Don't you still have like two weeks off?" Foreman asked.

"Got bored." Chase mumbled. It hurt to talk still. He was working with a speech therapist to help stop the mumbling.

"Do you need anything?" Cameron asked next, standing up.

He shook his head, thrilled that she didn't come over to try and hug him. He was glad they remember he still wasn't too keen on touching. If it wasn't for the valium and prozac he'd probably lock himself away from the world.

"It's about time you got back. These two are boring without you." It was as close to a welcome back as Chase was going to get from House.

Things were odd between the two of them now. Chase clearly remembered House being by his bedside the first few days after the attack. But after, he barely visited. Not that it bothered Chase that much, as he was having trouble with people being in the same room with him. But he had a feeling that if House was there he'd be okay.

The other three people in the room were silent as Chase made his way to a chair and slowly sat down. He shifted a bit, putting his broken leg up on a chair and tried to get comfortable.

Chase knew that comfortable was close to impossible, but thanks to the valium and other pain killers he was pretty darn close.

House was the first to break the silence as he started to rattle off the symptoms of their latest patient.

Chase sat quietly. A pad of paper in front of him, where he wrote different ideas quickly and then crossing them off as others said them.

"You want to contribute Chase?" House asked. Chase slid his pad down to the table. House caught it and picked it up. After a few moments of perusal, House ordered them to get more tests.

"Chase a moment." The other two doctors paused before heading out of the room. "Chase? You doing okay?" House asked leaning against the table. Chase nodded. "Glad you're back, but if it gets to be too much I expect you to pull back a little. If you need anything, just ask." Once again Chase nodded before heading out the door.

* * *

House held his breath as Chase hobbled out of the conference room. He understood the need to jump back in, to normalize his life as much as possible. But House still thought it was too soon. 

Through Cuddy he found out that Chase was seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist. He was also going to physical therapy three times a week.

Once Chase was out of ICU, House turned Chase's care over to another doctor. It wasn't that he wanted to cut off contact from Chase but it was the only way that he was able to put some distance between himself and the issue of Chase and Steven.

It had helped. He had gone to check on Chase once he was released a few times, but nothing that would seem too out of the ordinary.

House wondered how much of those first few days Chase remembered.


	2. Chapter 2

By 2:30 Chase was wiped out. He didn't feel like he did much of anything but stay in the lab running tests. It meant he could be less mobile which was good for his leg and ribs. It also meant he could hide from people, being not many came to the labs.

It also kept his paranoia in check.

He sent House a page, letting him know that he was leaving. He had a 3:00 psychologist appointment he had to get to.

Although exhausted, he felt good about the fact that he made it into work. When he told the psychologist that he made it to work, at first the psychologist was upset. But later he agreed that it was a good choice.

So what that Chase had left out the fact that every time someone walked by the lab he would freeze. Or that he had popped four valium over the course of four hours.

Chase didn't care much for the doctors he was seeing.

The psychologist was too chipper and was big into sharing feelings. Chase had made the mistake of telling him that he remembered the whole attack. The psychologist said that he was lucky. Chase thought it was a curse.

The psychiatrist didn't seem to have much time for him. Chase continuously felt like he was inconveniencing the doctor. Luckily, Chase only saw him when he needed a refill on his pills.

The psychologist he could get rid of in a few more weeks. Cuddy and Wilson made it a condition that he had to seek some mental health for about eight weeks before he could come back to work.

The proctologist ranked one step above the psychologist. Because of the trauma to his intestines and rear, Chase had been put on a special diet. He also had to keep track of what he ate and how and when he expelled it. Although he understood the reason behind it, it didn't make it any less humiliating. But that too, was easy to lie about.

The physical therapist and orthopedist didn't bother him much. If anything they were pleased at how hard he pushed to gain back full use of his jaw, hand, and leg. But they didn't know that besides the prescribed medication, he also took Advil every few hours.

None of the doctors knew that he spent most of his nights on his couch watching T.V. Thank god for cable. The History Channel was becoming his new friend. Sitting on his couch that night, wrapped in a quilt his grandmother had made him, Chase thought he could do this.

No more running.

Tomorrow he'd go back to work again. And in a few more days he'd be back to his normal life.

Popping his pills Chase settled down to the 'Tech of War.'


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Sorry for the long wait. Life and all that jazz. Thanks for the reviews.

* * *

"House, we need to talk." Cuddy walked over to the man in the clinic. 

"You told me you were on the pill." He exclaimed.

Cuddy just rolled her eyes and dragged him to an empty room. "What's going on with Chase?"

"Why you jealous?" He leered.

"I'm serious. He hasn't shown up for his clinic hours. He's constantly sniping at the nurses. I've had three complaints about him from patients. It's like he's turning into you."

"Oh good. The mini me plan is working."

"Cameron and Foreman have both come to me about this also. They see him constantly popping pills. He seems to have given up shaving. No one has seen him eat. Actually unless he has to be with a patient, no one can find him."

"The man was brutally attacked. Maybe he doesn't liked being around people. Of course his personality is going to change a little. If it didn't I'd be worried. He's seeing someone correct?" Cuddy nodded. "Then let him be. Or get Wilson to talk to him. He's good at that crap." House turned to walk out of the room.

"I did. Chase took a swing at him."

House spun back around. "Did he connect?"

"No. Wilson dodged. He's worried too. I mean when did Chase ever resort to physical violence?"

"Never. He doesn't even stick up for himself."

"House, I know you care for him for whatever reason. I'm worried about him. We all are."

"Fine, fine." House waved her off and continued out of the room.

* * *

As much as he wanted to, House couldn't ignore Cuddy's comments. As he made his way back to the conference room, he was surprised to hear yelling. Even more surprising was the fact that it was an Australian accent that was yelling. He stopped a few steps away to listen closer.

"Stop caring so much. It's clouding your judgment. Who the hell cares what she thinks? We're the doctors. It's the symptoms that are going to tell us what's wrong. Not the girls past three boyfriends."

"What's gotten into you man? You got to calm down."

"Who died and made you boss? Just because you're black and older you think we all have to lie down and listen to you. I didn't bring your ancestors to this country. I don't owe you anything, least of all respect."

House watched as Chase opened the door and stormed out of the conference room. He caught Foreman's and Cameron's eye before he looked directly at the young man heading in his direction.

"What do you want? Decided it was time to play doctor now?" Chase lit into him.

"That's enough Dr. Chase. Come with me." House realized he had to figure this out.

"I don't have to go any where with you. You're just an egotistical, self righteous, pill addicted, abusive, crippled bastard." To prove his point he kicked House's cane out from under him.

Loosing his balance, House grabbed the closest thing to him in order to keep himself steady. Unfortunately the closest thing happened to be Chase.

"Get you're hands off of me." Chase pushed House off of him, turned, and walked away.

House, already off balance, fell back to the wall, banging his head before falling to the floor. Wilson, Cuddy, Foreman, and Cameron all rushed over.

"You okay?" Wilson asked as he and Foreman helped House up.

"Just a headache."

"I'll go after him."

"No, let him cool off first." House told Cameron.

The five of them made their way to the conference room. Cameron detoured to the fridge to take out an ice pack. She handed it to House, who was standing by his white board.

"Okay. 27 year old male. Sudden aggression and hostility." She started to write. "Differential diagnosis."

"You want us to diagnose Chase?" Foreman asked.

"Would you not agree that there's something wrong with him?" Wilson added. "So what can cause that dramatic of a change in a persons personality?"

"A traumatic experience?" Cameron guessed. House wrote it down.

"Drug use?" Foreman added.

"I expected that from you." House commented as he wrote that down too.

"Change in sleeping and or eating patterns." Cuddy commented.

"Has anyone seen him eat recently?" Wilson asked.

"We barely see him." Foreman answered.

"Hiding." House wrote that on the board also. He then stood back and looked at the board for a moment. "Cameron, Foreman, ask around. See if anyone else noticed off behaviors in Chase. Start with the ICU nurses. They're the biggest gossips in the hospital. Wilson, look though his locker. Cuddy, can you call the shrink he's seeing. See what you can get from them."

"And what are you going to do?" Cuddy asked,

"Update my will in case Chase kills me for confronting him tonight." House turned and walked into his office.


	4. Chapter 4

House left early with blessings from Cuddy. With a set of Chase's keys in his hand he went to the younger doctor's apartment.

House knew Chase wouldn't be home for awhile and took the opportunity to snoop.

The bed looked pristine, like it hadn't been used in weeks. There was actually dust covering the pillows.

He next looked in the kitchen. The fridge was empty, except for a box of baking soda. The freezer was filled though. Bottles of vodka and gin were all crammed in there.

The counter top had bottles of pills lined up, all empty. Looking through the labels and the dates, he realized what was happening.

The door unlocking stopped House from taking any action. Realizing the confrontation that was about to take place, House took a deep breath as the door opened.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Chase walked passed him into the kitchen.

"We're worried about you. You're freaking out the staff."

"Sucks for them, doesn't it?"

"Chase." House called again as Chase took out a plastic cup and opened the freezer. "That isn't going to solve anything." He pointed to the bottle Chase had taken out.

"I didn't ask for any help." Chase opened the bottle of gin.

House couldn't stand it. Using his cane, he knocked the bottle out of Chase's hand and it crashed on to the floor.

Both men started at each other. Chase looked away first, heading back to the freezer.

House moved to stand in front of the fridge. "Chase stop." He ordered.

"Like hell I will. Get out of my way cripple." Chase moved to push House of the way. Expecting the move, House let go of his cane and wrapped his arms around Chase, engulfing him in a bear hug. "Let me go." Chase screamed and tried to break the hold.

House continued to hold on, using all his weight to help contain the storm. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay." House whispered in his ear.

After 20 minutes Chase's body went limp. House pulled Chase's arm over his shoulder and led the boneless body to the bedroom. A slight push and Chase fell face first on to the bed.

House sat down on the bed next to Chase. He bent over to remove the young man's shoes.

House had an idea as to where this was going to end up. Chase had fallen and fallen hard. There was no one to help him but House. And Greg knew that if this was his son, he'd want someone to help him.

Getting up, House slowly made his way back into the kitchen to get his cane and to started cleaning up. Making a decision he pulled out his cell phone.

"How is he?" Wilson answered after the first ring.

"Passed out in his room."

"How bad?"

"Bad if I had to guess. Nothing but alcohol in his freezer and empty pill bottles on the counter."

"Apples and trees you know. What me to pick food up?"

"Yeah, that would help."

"I told Cuddy I'd check in with her after I heard from you."

"Send my love." And House hung up. _First things first._ House thought. After cleaning up the mess on the floor he started to empty out the bottles in the freezer.

He was a quarter of the way through the kitchen when his phone vibrated. "House." He answered.

"I'm here." The familiar voice of Wilson came through.

House hung up and opened the door. The two of them worked in silence, cleaning and restocking Chase's fridge.

The screams from the next room had the two of them running down the hall. Standing outside the door Wilson looked at House before heading back to the kitchen. This was House's mess and Wilson didn't feel like being hit.

"Chase, wake up." House moved over to the bed.

Still Chase continued to thrash around the bed, screaming and crying. "Let me go. Stop. Stop. Don't." He cried out in a thick Australian accent.

"Come on Chase. It's just a nightmare." House knew that wasn't the case. It just seemed like the right thing to say.

"Let me go." He cried before bolting up and starting to gag.

"Chase." House quickly grabbed the waste basket and held it under Chase's head. He wasn't surprised that nothing came up. Once Chase's breathing was under control, House put a hand on his back.

Chase flinched and looked at the man. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help."

"Don't need your help." Chase got off the bed and headed into the bathroom.

House followed him and watched as he splashed water on his face.

Chase looked up to see House standing in the doorway. "You want to hold it for me?" Chase asked as he started to unzip his fly.

"You're 27. Do you really want me to?" House shot back.

Chase's answer was to close the door in his face. House moved back a little and waited. A few minutes later Chase opened the door and brushed passed House, heading into the kitchen.

"The happy juice is all gone." House commented as Chase went to the freezer.

Slowly Chase turned around and went to his bag that he left by the door. Opening it up, he took out a paper bag.

"Give me that Chase." Wilson appeared in front of him before House could get there. Chase ignored him, putting a pill in his mouth, opening the bottle and taking a drink. House didn't know who was more shocked, him or Chase, when Wilson's hand shot out and grabbed the bottled out of Chase's grasp.

But Chase had already taken a drink and washed down what ever pills he had put in his mouth.

"Damn it Chase." House cursed.

"Not your problem. Now please leave. Take your boy toy with you." Chase motioned to Wilson.

"Chase, Robert, enough."

"Don't you dare call me that! Its Chase or Dr. Chase to you!" He pointed a finger at House.

"Fine, Dr. Chase. Sit your ass down at the table." House ordered.

Chase didn't move. "Who the hell died and made you boss?"

Wilson slowly backed out of the room and started to put the sandwiches out on the table that he picked up at the store.

"Your father actually. If he was here, he'd order you to do the same thing. Now get to that table. You will eat and be civilized. And then you and I are going to talk."

"Sir, yes sir." Chase mock saluted and made his way into the dining area.

Wilson and House made small talk, commenting on one patient or another while they ate. Chase sat silently totaling ignoring everything around him. "Eat." House ordered putting a turkey sandwich on his plate.

Chase looked up. "Not hungry." He mumbled.

"You just took pills and washed them down with alcohol. You need something in your stomach or you'll pass out." Wilson commented.

"Actually the effect I was looking for." Chase commented as he closed his eyes.

"Chase?" Wilson called getting up to take his pulse and catch him as he slumped over. "Pulse slow and steady." Wilson threw Chase over his shoulder and carried him to the bedroom.

House rubbed his hands over his face, before standing up and heading back to the bedroom.

Wilson was sitting on the bed. "Help me get him out of these clothes." They worked in silence for a bit. "He can't continue like this." Wilson commented.

"I know."

"He's addicted."

"I know."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know."


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you all for reviewing. I've got a lot of questions as to why Chase was raped in the first place and what about his physical injuries. My answer is to just sit tight. The answers will come soon. I can't promise them to be what you want but I do have them.

* * *

House bolted up at the sound of screaming. Where in the world was he and where did that sound come from? The memories started to flood back and he remembered that he was at Chase's. 

Getting up, he made his way down the hall to see what demons Chase was facing. Looking in on the room he couldn't help the flashback that entered his mind.

Chase was laid out across the bed, pillows and blanket on the floor. The sheet was wrapped around his body and that's what he was trying to fight.

Steven never slept on the bed properly. Every night, before he would turn in, Greg would make his way to his son's room and turn him the right way. In the morning, he would be back lying across the bed. They used to joke about getting him a round bed so that he would sleep properly on it all the time.

But at the moment he had to save Robert from killing himself with his bedding. "Chase. Wake up." House called. Wary of flailing arms he made his way to the bed and tried to untangle him.

As soon as his flesh contacted flesh, Chase froze, eyes open, staring blankly into nothing. House froze. "Chase? Robert?"

It took a moment before Chase turned to face him. Realization dawned in his eyes. "Didn't I tell you to leave?"

"You should know I don't listen. Let's get your bed back together." House bent over to grab a pillow.

"Not tired." And Chase stood up and left the room.

House sat for a few moments debating his next move. He could follow him and force a confrontation, or wait for Robert to start one. Deciding that Robert would soon find the alcohol and drugs gone, the confrontation could wait. Till then, House, busied himself with getting the bed back into some semblance of order. He was sure that Robert would find a use for it again soon.

"What the fuck?" Was suddenly yelled through the apartment.

House assumed that meant that Chase had found his surprise. House sat down on the bed and waited for Chase to come back in.

House was not disappointed.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Who are you to come barging in to my apartment, my private life? We don't bother with you, so leave me alone." Chase ranted.

House had enough. He was tried of being yelled at. Tired of trying to do the right thing and having it thrown in his face.

"Because I was there. I was there when you were pushed out of the van. I was there when you had no heart beat and weren't breathing. I was there when you woke up, scared. I was-"

"I know." Chase cried out halting what ever House was going to say. "I know." Chase said softer sitting down on the bed with his head in his hands. "I know you were there. I remember hearing your voice. I remember you being there when I woke up." Chase cried. "I remember you holding my hand. I remember you sitting there by my bedside. I remember you talking to me. I remember you calling me Robert."

House gathered Chase in his arms and rocked him slowly. House had no idea how to handle this. Did he allow Chase to cry or did he try and calm him down? Did he try and get Chase to talk, to know what's going on or just stay quiet?

Quiet not being one of House's strong points he opened his mouth. "What else do you remember?" He asked softly.

Chase stiffened in his arms. "What the hell does it matter to you? It's none of your business. Get out of my house."

"No. I'm not leaving until we fix this problem."

"If you leave most of my problem will be gone."

"I'm not leaving so you can drink it and drug it all away."

"You're one to talk. It's my life. Let me destroy it my own way."

"Let me help you."

"I don't want your help. Can't you get that?" Chase screamed. "I ran the first time. It didn't work. I faced it this time. That didn't work. So far this method is working. LEAVE ME IN PEACE!" He got up and stormed into the bathroom where he slammed the door.

House was willing to let Chase sit in the bathroom and brood for the rest of the night. He was actually on his way back to the couch when he heard the breaking of glass. "Shit." He commented hobbling back to the bathroom. "Chase." He called through the door. "Are you alright?"

There was no answer. Opening the door House came face to face with Chase, sitting on the bathtub rim with a shard of glass above his wrist.

Time stopped as the two of them looked at each other. Eyes not moving, Chase's hand moved from right to left across his right wrist. The one that was already dripping blood from the hand that punched the now shattered mirror.

House didn't even think. He walked in, smacked Chase's left hand with his cane, forcing him to drop the piece of glass. He next grabbed the smacked hand and dragged Chase out of the bathroom. House was so angry that when he whipped his arm around to pull Chase into the bedroom, Chase flew onto the mattress. "Don't you even think of moving from that bed you asshole." House yelled at him before stalking back out.

He reappeared a few seconds later with towels and his bag, both of which he threw down on to the bed next to Chase. Chase was now sitting on the bed, mesmerized at the blood pooling on his wrist and running in rivulets onto the floor.

House grabbed a chair in the room and placed it in front of Chase. Taking his hand in his, House used one of the towels to try and stop the blood flow from Chase's wrist. "You ungrateful, selfish bastard. What the hell were you thinking? Were you thinking? What kind of moron tries to cut their wrists? Are you trying to kill yourself? You got a second chance. You were dead. We brought you back. Are you that ungrateful, throwing away a gift like that?" House ranted as he pulled shards of glass from Chase's knuckles with a pair of tweezers from his bag. "You should have signed a DNR when you started to work for me. It would have saved us a lot of work and a lot of anxiety."

Looking up, House watched Chase's eyes started to droop only to snap open again. "Go lay down." Once again Chase followed House's instructions without comment and lay back against the head board.

House looked up as he rearranged himself on the bed and saw Chase was fast asleep again. House shook his head as he finished caring for Chase's hand.


	6. Chapter 6

Here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy. It's going be the last one for a bit. Its nothing serious, just caught a case of writers block. So I'm going to take a break from this and work on some other things. Hopefully I'll be smacked upside the head with a thought soon. I know you're all looking forward to this. Please don't hate me too much.

* * *

It was 9:30 in the morning, when House woke up. There had been no more interruptions since the 2 am wake up call from Chase. Thinking that Chase must be hungry by now, he went to wake him up. House hoped that Chase would be more rational now that he had some sleep. 

Unfortunately House was wrong. Chase was in bed and awake, but rational was not in his mind at the moment. Curled up under the blanket he was rocking back and forth tears running down his cheeks.

"Chase you okay?"

"My hand hurts."

"That's what happens when you punch a glass mirror."

"I have pills in my bag. Can you get them?"

"I threw them out?"

"What? Why?" Chase sat up, cradling his hand.

"No more pills for you. No more alcohol. You're addicted, you know. You're going to start detoxing now. I threw it all out."

"Like you're one to talk. Want me to stop taking pills and drinking while you sit there with your bottle of vicodin. What do you do? Wait till I'm asleep to take one? I know you have them. Give them to me." Chase lunged for House.

House held him back, trying to fend off arm and legs intent on hurting him. "No." House called out, trying to stop Chase from taking them.

Both men found themselves on the floor wrestling each other for control of a little pill bottle. House ignored the pains shooting through his leg. He knew that he couldn't let Chase get that bottle.

Whether it was pain that made House move or lack of sustenance that made Chase slow, House pulled himself up off the floor and made his way into the bathroom. Chase quickly followed and found House standing at the toilet with the pill bottle in his hands. "Don't even think of it Chase."

"You're that desperate?" Chase couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Chase. Robert, you don't have to do this alone, I'll help you. I want to help you."

"Why?" The emotional roller coaster that had become Chase was going down again and tears formed in his eyes.

"That doesn't matter at the moment. Will you not admit that you have a problem?" Chase nodded. "You know who you're turning into?"

Chase nodded again, tears free flowing now. "I don't want to turn into her." He whispered.

House dropped the bottle into the toilet and wrapped his arms around Chase, leading him back into the bedroom.

* * *

"Wilson." 

"You're going to get your wish."

"What are you talking about House? Is Chase okay?"

"Chase is passed out again."

"You sound horrible. You okay?"

"It was a bad night."

"What do you mean I'm going to get my wish?"

"I know it was you who gave Cuddy the idea that I should stop taking the Vicodin. Well the both are you are going to get your wish."

"You're going to stop?"

"Cold turkey."

"Why? Is it because of Chase?"

"Maybe I decided it was time." House tried to play it off.

"Got tired of being called a hypocrite?" Wilson fired back.

"6 of one, half a dozen of another."

"You're really going to do this?"

"He's scared of turning into his mother. There are other things at work too. I don't know."

"Oh good, the two of you could have a share and care time."

"You want to come and join?"

"If I had something to quit."

"Being nice?"

"Not going to happen. Seriously. You're going to stay there?"

"We already had a problem with Chase and sharp instruments. I don't want a repeat. I need my wombat."

"I'll pack you up a bag. How long you think you're going to be there for?"

"Don't know. Over a week at least."

"You want me to tell the troops?"

"No. I'm going to call Cuddy, and tell her what's going on. Maybe I'll get out of clinic for the time."

"You're going to still take on cases?"

"Don't see why not. It will be a nice distraction. For both of us."

"I'll bring over a white board later."

"Bring Chinese." And House hung up. He had to call Cuddy and let her know what was going on.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Thank you all for being patient. Still having some writers block, but I wanted to get a bit more out to you, my wonderful readers. Sorry its short. Enjoy!

* * *

It was 8 at night and House was ready to kill Chase. Not that Chase wasn't doing a good job of it himself. House never realized how stubborn the boy could be, Chase was almost as bad as he was. 

After he had finished with his phone calls, which not only consisted of Cuddy, who was jumping for joy, but also Cameron and Foreman, he went back in to check on Chase. House was surprised to see him still in bed, under the covers.

Upon closer inspection he found that he was awake and staring at a blank window. "Chase, get up we need to talk, and I need to look at your wrist."

"It's fine." Chase monotoned, without moving.

"Who's the doctor here?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Robert, sit up." House ordered. He was more than a little spooked when Chase complied.

House took Chase's left hand in his and started to take off the bandage around the wrist. The cut wasn't deep and had stopped bleeding earlier. It looked like Chase might have a scar though. Another to add to his collection, House thought. "Let that air out for a bit. You should shower and have something to eat."

"Don't want to." Chase pulled the blankets over his head.

"Robert, go shower, you'll feel better."

"Leave me alone."

It seemed that Chase had regressed 10 years and was now a cranky teenager. House never had to deal with that before. Steven never even threw a temper tantrum. He was a good kid. House took a deep breath before talking. "Get up and get your ass in that shower. Then you are going to dress and come into the kitchen to eat."

"Fine." Chase through the blankets off of him and walked into the bathroom cursing and mumbling under his breath in Czech.

"That's not a nice thing to say about a person." House called out in Czech, understanding every word that was coming out of Chase's mouth.

"Fuck off." Chase answered back in Czech before closing the bathroom door.

House listened closely to make sure that Chase wasn't doing anything more damaging to himself. 30 minutes later House was debating barging in when Chase opened the door and walked out buck naked back to his room and slammed the door.

The ringing of the door bell stopped House from having to deal with the unruly teenager. He was more than surprised to see not only Wilson but Cuddy and Foreman too.


	8. Chapter 8

WOO HOO! Writer's block has been conquered for the moment. Just trying to climb through the rubble at the moment.

Thanks for sticking with me. Remember feedback makes me happy.

* * *

"What's this? A party? Chase isn't really up to company." To punctuate that remark the crash of something from the bedroom made them all turn. 

House sighed and moved to head into the back when Foreman put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Let us." He said as Wilson and he went to the backroom.

Cuddy picked up one the bags that Foreman was carrying and brought it into the dining room. House followed with another bag. "How are you doing?"

"Oh just peachy, you know." House commented as he started to unpack the food.

They worked in silence, yelling from the bedroom piercing the silence, till House had to sit down. "Eric said he'd stay the night if you wanted to head home for some sleep."

"I'd really love a Vicodin, but they are all down the toilet. I told Jimmy to clean my stash out in the office and at my place."

"I don't get you House. You are the most self centered person that everyone has ever met, yet when it comes to your patients you are willing to go to great lengths to help them."

"I'm just that good of a guy."

"You won't quit drugs to save yourself, but to save Chase you will. Who is he to you?"

"How much did James tell you?"

"Just that he reminds you of someone who was close to you."

"Yeah." House picked his head up from his hands. The look in House's eyes made Lisa need to grab a chair. The emotion that was pouring out of his eyes was so over powering that she needed to sit. "About 18 years-" He was cut off by Wilson and Foreman coming back into the room.Wilson sat down while Foreman went to get some ice from the freezer. He came back with it on his lip. "Passed out again?"

"After cutting his wrist again and punching Foreman." Wilson stated.

"He hasn't eaten anything in over 24 hours if I had to guess. The withdrawal from what ever pills he's taken plus the anxiety is giving him the bouts of energy for about 10 to 30 minutes and then he passes back out." House explained what had been going on for most of the day. "I'm about ready to tie him up and force feed him."

"If he was at the hospital, we'd restrain him and put him on a feeding tube." Foreman added.

"He needs control, that's what this is mostly about. He is trying to regain control over his body and life. Something that was taken away. By not eating he's asserting his control over his life. The same thing with the cutting. He's controlling the pain. Bringing it when he wants it, not when the pain comes." Cuddy explained.

"By putting him in the hospital, you'll take away his control. We're doing enough by forcing him to quit and all." Wilson finished.

"He wants to quit." House finally spoke. If these three wanted to help they needed to know more of the story. "He knows who he's turning into and he mentioned that he doesn't want that. There's more going on here. He let slip that the first time he ran, and this time he stayed to confront it. I think something like this has happened in the past. I'm dying to find out what went on."

"I'll get on that." Foreman commented.

"Actually I want you and Cameron to look for cases for us. Chase and I are going to need something besides each other to occupy our minds with. A case or two will be a nice distraction."

"And you'll do all the brainstorming and we'll do all the work?" Foreman questioned.

"What's the difference then?" House asked. They were all silent.

"What are you going to do now?" Cuddy asked still not thrilled that she was interrupted before she could find out what was going on between House and Chase.

"He needs to eat. I'm hoping that he's totally burnt now, and will just follow simple instructions. Otherwise tie him to the bed, sit on him, and force the food down his throat. I'll get the kid."

"Chase." House called as soon as he opened the door. "Get up."

Chase rolled over and opened his eye. "Leave me alone. Not hungry."

"Yes you are. Get up."

"Headache. Need something."

"You need food. Now. Get. Your. Ass. Up."

"No."

House shook his head and went back to the kitchen. "Its plan B folks. Cuddy, put some soup in a mug for him. Foreman, Wilson, I need you're muscle." And he turned back around.

The three of them looked at each other before moving.

* * *

Sorry about the cliffhanger of sorts. Let you're imaginations run wild a bit with this one. evil grin> 


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry about the wait. Real life and all. Hope you don't want to kill me after this. Please let me know what you think about this?

* * *

When Foreman and Wilson arrived in the bedroom, House already had out some of Chase's ties. "Foreman you hold him. Wilson, left. I got right." Chase was still curled up hiding under his covers. 

"You sure you want to do this?" Foreman questioned.

"Chase, you going to get up and eat?"

"Not hungry. Just want something for the pain." Chase whined.

"Not going to happen. Last chance. You're not going to like what will happen."

"Screw you."

House nodded to Wilson and Foreman.

Cuddy sat at the table wincing at each scream and thud that came out of the bedroom. She hoped that Chase's neighbors wouldn't call the police over all the noise. There were still obscenities and curses being flung when House called her to come into the room.

She knew she'd never get the image out of her mind. Chase was sitting up in bed against the head board. His arms were tied, with his ugly ties, spread out to the headboard. He was bare-chested and in a pair of boxer shorts. His ankles were also tied, using ties to the bed frame. It looked like the makings of a bad porn film.

Cuddy could decide if she was turned on by the look of the beautiful man tied up, half naked on the bed, or appalled at an employee who had to be tied to his bed in order to keep him from doing harm to himself and to force him to eat.

House was sitting on the bed on his right and Wilson was on the left. Foreman stood by the foot board. Chase was now silent, still tugging on the restraints.

"You invited the whole hospital to see you have your way with me? You and Wilson going to have that little three some of yours? I'd prefer Cameron here for that although you'll do Cuddy." Chase commented.

"Ignore him. You have the soup?" Cuddy just nodded, still unsure of how to react to the situation. House turned to Chase. "You are going to eat this. You will not spit it back up like a two year old."

"You're going to make train noise?" Chase jumped in.

"We will force feed you if we have to." Seeing the defiance in Chase's eyes he added. "Or we can ship you of to the hospital, have you tied to a bed on the fourth floor and put a feeding tube and catheter in. It's up to you." Tears started to form in Chase's eyes. House held his hand out for the mug of soup.

"I'm really not that hungry." Chase commented softly.

"When was the last time you ate?" House asked. He nodded at the others to leave. If Chase was going to break down, House wanted to give Chase as much dignity as he could. Not that there was much left. He took a spoon full of broth and brought it to Chase's lips. He took the soup and swallowed it.

"Don't remember." He answered once the soup was down. Cuddy and Wilson both left. Foreman moved to a corner to stay out of the way.

"I've been here 24 hours, and I haven't seen you eat anything in that time. I'm sure you didn't eat much before." House continued to spoon soup into Chase as he talked. "You know what happens when you don't eat. You get sloppy at work. You get run down. You get sick. We don't want that to happen."

"But it hurts." Chase whined between bites

"What hurts? You're stomach? You're jaw? I need to know so that we can help." House remembered when Steven had broken his arm. Fell out of a tree. He kept crying it hurts, but they didn't know where he was injured. He had talked to Steven like this too. In soft, calming tones, he asked specific questions, trying to diagnose his son.

Chase shook his head. "You're arm, you're leg? You're head?" House continued asking and Chase continued to shake his head.

"Bathroom?" Foreman questioned from his perch in the corner.

Chase nodded, barely.

"Okay. For now, we'll keep you on fluids. That doesn't bother you correct?" House asked, slightly pleased that at least he knew what was wrong now.

Chase shook his head.

"Okay. You need to eat some more and then you're going to get dressed and come out and be sociable. Got that?"

Chase nodded and let House feed him.


	10. Chapter 10

Hope this answers some of the questions that you have.

* * *

Chase didn't speak to House for three days. For three days House would try and get Chase to eat. For three days Wilson and Foreman would come over and help force feed Chase. For three days both House and Chase suffered with the addictions, withdrawal and pains in silence. 

"I really wish you didn't do that." He whispered as was sitting on the couch dozing next to House. House always made Chase come out of his room to watch TV after a feeding session.

"You don't leave me much choice." Chase's head was on his shoulder, wrapped in a blanket and House was rubbing his neck. Chase's last meal made an appearance not too long ago.

"You don't have to do any of this."

"Yes I do. You need to eat. You're going to waste away to nothing. Chase you're dying, and I can't go through that again."

"And I don't think I can't do this survivor thing again. So where does that leave us?"

"What do you mean 'again'?" House asked. This was the second time Chase hinted at something like this happening before.

"Got into some trouble, back home. Came here to get away from it is all."

"You were raped and beaten back in Australia. That's why you came to the US to work?"

"It wasn't a rape per say. More a crossing of signals." Chase explained, trying to sit up.

House wouldn't let him. "Crossing of signals as in you put up the red light and he was color blind and thought it was green?"

Chase just nodded.

"I'm sorry to tell you that's still rape." The two sat in silence a bit more before House spoke again. "You don't have to deal with this on your own, you know."

"Who is there to help me? My father never knew and is dead."

"But I'm here." House whispered.

Chase froze at that. Again silence spread between them. "I need to lie back down." Chase levered himself up and made his way back to his room.

Once alone, House put his feet up on the couch and sighed. How was he going to get through to Chase?

* * *

Luckily Cameron and Foreman came through for both of them the next day. It was 10 am when the phone rang. House and Chase just had their daily argument about Chase eating. House was in the kitchen reading a newspaper and eating breakfast while Chase was sulking in the bedroom.

"Dr. Chase, paging Dr. Chase." House called from his chair.

"What do you what?" Chase bit off.

"Get out here. Foreman and Cameron are on the line."

"Normally you wait for Foreman to get here before you tie me up." Chase walked into the room.

"That can wait. Go to the board." He pointed to the white board that Wilson had set up for them two days ago. "38 year old male. Shortness of breath, no fever, pain in leg." House started to relay the symptoms. "What test have you done?"

Cameron and Foreman took turns answering the questions that House asked while Chase continued to jot information down on the board.

House reached for his bagel. When he reached nothing but air he was more than surprised to see Chase with it to his mouth. House debated giving him a hard time about it. But if he was eating than maybe he should just get himself another bagel.

The phone call continued for 20 minutes before House sent Cameron and Foreman to do more tests. House continued to extrapolate ideas with Chase when he noticed Chase grabbing his stomach and standing awkwardly.

"Chase? You okay?"

"I'm fine." And Chase made his way back to his bedroom.

Not unused to the mood swings, House let him go, happy to continue to work on the latest puzzle in front of him.


	11. Chapter 11

Warning. This might be a little gross for some people. I'm sorry. But Chase did eat the bagel. The first solid thing in a few weeks. What goes in must come out. Hope that's enough warning.

* * *

The ringing phone a few hours later woke House from a light doze. "What?" He bit out, picking up the phone. 

"Tests are back, and a new symptom." Cameron answered.

"Chase." House called, wincing as he stood up. For some reason, this time, the withdrawal didn't hurt so much. The acupuncturist that Wilson hired for him had actually helped with the pain for a bit. Maybe he should call the guy back.

There was no answer to his yell. Maybe Chase was asleep too. House knew that there was nothing in there that he could injure himself with. He'd check on Chase after the call.

New symptoms on the board, more suggestions and ordering more tests, House hung up the phone. "Chase." He called again. Still there was no answer.

Opening the door, House was surprised to see Chase awake. "You okay?" He got no response. As he approached he heard sobbing. Looking closer, Chase had curled himself around a pillow and was clinging to it desperately.

"Chase look at me." House ordered. Chase shook his head and clutched the pillow tighter. "Are you in pain?" A head nod this time.

This was one of the things he hated about patients. Either they told you too much or not enough. This was a case of the later.

"Let me take a look." House softened his voice trying to hide his aggravation.

His only answer was more sobs. Not sure of what else to do House sat down and started to rub Chase's back, hoping to calm him down.

They sat for a few seconds before a rumble was heard and Chase let out a moan and curled around the pillow more. House suddenly put two and two together. "Shit." He mumbled before looking back at Chase. "The bagel?" he guessed. Chase nodded. "Let's get you to the bathroom." Chase vigorously shook his head no.

"Robert, it's going to come out. You know it'll hurt, but you'll feel better. I promise you." Chase shook his head again. "There is one other choice, but I don't think you want me to call Wilson do you?" Chase again shook his head and continued to hold onto the pillow.

House shook his head unsure as to what to do. Part of him was ready to call Wilson. Have him come over to help give Chase an enema. That was the doctor part of him. The paternal part, the part he tried to keep buried, wanted to help Chase himself.

Logic, jumped into the mix, Chase had trust and control issues as it was. It might be more helpful to keep this between them at the moment. "I'll be right back." House grabbed the two heating pads he had found in the closet earlier and returned to the room plugging them in.

"Chase I need the pillow. Just for a moment." Chase shook his head. "The heating pad will help."

After a few minutes of struggles one heating pad was warming Chase's stomach. The second one was put against Chase's back and rear end. "Shh. It's going to be okay. The heat will help lesson the pain. But you're going to the bathroom." House spoke trying to keep Chase calm. "It's a muscle, Chase. A muscle that hasn't been used in a while. It's like when you pull a muscle. At first, when you hurt it, you have to let it rest, so it can heal. Once it's healed, the first time you use it, it hurts. But the more you use it, the easier it will be." House continued to talk while monitoring the heat.

After twenty minutes, House coaxed Chase into the bathroom and left him alone. House didn't think he was ever so happy to hear a toilet flush.

"House?" Chase called before a thump was heard.

Opening the door, House saw Chase on the floor, pale and sweaty. "Let's get you back into bed."

Chase just nodded and let House lead him back to bed. "Please don't tie me up." Chase whispered as House pulled the blanket up to Chase's shoulders.

"How's your jaw." House side stepped the request for the moment.

"Hurts too."

"The bagel was a bit more than you can chew at the moment. I'll get you an ice pack. It'll help." When House returned Chase was already asleep. "Rest kid. We'll get through this. Some how, we'll get through this."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. They are really great. For those of you who are curious to know if we ever find out what exactly happened to Chase and who was behind it, stay tuned. A few more chapters and you'll get your answer. I'm in the process of working on the last two chapters. Thanks to all who review, it's what keeps me going. Enjoy!

* * *

That night Foreman and Wilson were both surprised to see Chase sitting on the couch when they showed up. They were even more surprised when he sat at the table with them with some soup. 

"How are you feeling?" Foreman asked, trying to start up a conversation.

"Tired. What happened to the guy?" Chase changed the topic.

"What guy?"

"38 year old male."

"Oh. Mr. Lee?" Foreman asked.

Chase shrugged, not knowing what the man's name was. "I figured it out while you were napping." House commented.

"What was it?" Chase asked.

The conversation turned into a recap of the patient, disease and treatment, before it moved onto other medical cases.

* * *

House was showing both men out later when Wilson made the comment they had been waiting for all night. "He seems better." Chase had gone to lie down not too long ago. 

"We're working on it. The case was good for him. Too bad it was an easy one."

"We'll try harder." Foreman commented.

"I'd like to run some tests on him. See home damage was done and how much weight he's lost."

"Not going to happen. Not yet." House answered Wilson's request. "Taking baby steps. Got him to eat on his own. In a few days we'll move on to solid food and hopefully out of the apartment."

"And how are you doing?"

"Hurts. But there are other things to think about. The acupuncture worked. The heating pads work. As do some of the methods in the reflexology and herbal books Chase has." At Wilson's and Foreman's questioning looks he continued. "Saint boy doesn't have porn. As least no where I can find it. That's just not healthy."

"Maybe you should watch 'The L Word' with him." Wilson commented.

"Just basic cable."

"At least we know what to get him for his birthday this year." Foreman added.

"And it won't go to waste like the gift card you gave him last year."

"I'll bring you some tapes tomorrow." Wilson smiled, knowing how House needed his porn. Especially now that he gave up his pills.

"Let's give him a day. I don't think that we'll have any more problems, at least in regards to eating."

Wilson and Foreman both nodded and let House know that if they needed them, they were only a phone call away.

Once they were gone, House called out to Chase, knowing he was still awake. "How are you feeling?" House asked, once they were both on the couch.

"I'm okay."

"Stomach and other parts?"

Chase nodded, once again putting his head on House's shoulder. "Thank you." Chase whispered after a few moments of silence.

"For what?" House asked, hoping Chase would open up more.

"Not tying me up."

"I told you, as long as you eat, we won't do that. I don't want to hurt you. I won't lie to you about this."

"What happened to everyone lies?"

"I lied."

"Funny." Silence stretched between them until Chase spoke again. "Sorry about the bagel this morning."

"Yeah, about that. What did I tell you about stealing other people's food?"

"Never from your boss, always from your co-workers."

"So?"

"It was in my apartment. So technically it's mine. Hence, I didn't steal it. Just reacquired it."

"I see." House was getting ready to give a smart ass answer, getting back into the banter between the two of them, before he thought better of it. "I'm glad you ate the bagel, Chase. It meant you were comfortable enough to eat."

"You think Foreman will find us another case tomorrow?"

"Cuddy's taking care of it. She scheduled someone who requested out assistance. Wilson brought the file over tonight. We can look at it tomorrow."

"I wish I cold run the tests myself." Chase started, sitting up. House sat quietly, letting him run the conversation. At least Chase was talking. Not yelling or crying. Maybe they were almost through this horror. "It's not that I don't trust Foreman and Cameron. It's just." He paused, unsure of how to continue.

"It would give you something else to pass the time. Some busy work."

"I like being busy." Chase mumbled.

"Keeps you're mind off things?" Chase nodded. "You can barely stay in the same room with Wilson and Foreman for more than 20 minutes. How are you going to work on a patient, run tests when anyone could walk in?"

"There's stuff I can take for that."

"No pills, Chase. No drugs, no alcohol."

"But it could help me do my job."

"You don't need them Chase. Do you really think I'm going to allow you back into the hospital where you have easy access to drugs?"

"But they stop the pain and the memories. Please just some Tylenol." Chase started to beg.

House knew that this conversation was going too well. He had to remember that Chase was going through control issues. And while he was cocky over controlling not being tied up and forced to eat he was trying to get control over the rest of his life too. "What pain? What hurts." House knew the memories were real and couldn't disappear. But the pain, he wasn't so sure of.

"You don't understand." Chase cried, getting up and heading back to his room.

House sat back and closed his eyes. Part of him, was glad he didn't have to deal with Steven's teenage years. He wasn't sure that he would have been able to resist killing him. But that was a very small part.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer reminder: I don't own them. Not making money from this.

Thanks for the reviews to all who did so.

* * *

Cuddy thankfully came up with work to keep them busy for 5 straight days. During that time Chase kept busy with the work and ate a little on his own. Wilson continued to come over every night for dinner and to discuss the latest hospital gossip. 

That fifth night Wilson showed up with Cuddy. They were both to baby sit that evening.

House had called earlier in the day at his wits end.

"I'm going to strangle him." House stated as soon as Wilson answered the phone.

"What did the boy do now?"

"He barely eats. He'll drink half a can of Ensure in the morning, and eat nothing except for the little bit he eats when you come over. He then complains his stomach and head hurt. Doesn't he understand, his body is craving food and sustenance? He can't be that dumb."

"He's dealing with a lot. Remember control issues? He's trying to control his life as much as possible."

"Don't you think that I know that? I told him by eating he'll get rid of the headaches. It's more control than that. The pain is giving him something else to think about. I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

"He's tired. Always needing a nap. He's having trouble concentrating. I'm afraid."

"That he's killing himself by starving himself because we took away all his other methods?"

"Yeah." House sighed.

"I'll duckling sit. Maybe I'll invite Cuddy. Maybe we can scare him into eating. Go out to dinner, spend the night at your place. Watch porn. We'll take care of Chase."

* * *

"He's not doing so well." Cuddy commented when she was leaving that morning. 

"I know." House was a little surprised when she showed up with Wilson the night before. Her explanation as to why she was there made sense to him and he hoped Chase bought it too. It would be easier for her to intimidate Chase with his job at this point than it was for House.

Unfortunately it didn't work. "Did he eat anything?"

"No." She answered. "I could've sworn he was a teenage girl the way he acting."

"Missed out on those teenage years with Steven." House commented without realizing who he was talking to.

"See you both later." Wilson commented leaving the two of them alone in the doorway.

"Steven?" Cuddy asked, hoping to finally get the story as to what was going on.

House sighed realizing he slipped. "Where's the wombat?" House asked, closing the door.

"His room. He yelled, screamed, and disappeared."

"Oh, so nothing new."

"So who's Steven?"

"Steven Michael House. Born June 8th 1978. Died February 22nd 1986."

"Younger brother?"

"Son."

"Greg?"

"Senior year of high school. I was young and so was his mother. It didn't last once Steven passed. It was before Stacy, before you." House took a picture out of his wallet. "His seventh birthday."

"My god. It's a younger version of Chase."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"What happened?" Cuddy asked softly after House's outburst.

"Idiotic surgeon forgot a blood vessel during the amputation of his leg. Steven bled out. A car hit him as he was riding his bike."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's in the past. And yes, having Chase here is bringing back memories. Some fond, some not so fond. Had this conversation with Wilson already."

"I'm here if you need to talk though."

"Thanks."

After a brief, awkward moment of silence Cuddy spoke again. "Talk to Chase. I threatened to fire him. He said he planned on leaving anyways."

"The kid has strong fight or flight issues. Weighing mostly on the flight part."

Cuddy nodded and headed out. There was nothing more for her to do here at the moment.


	14. Chapter 14

**Drumroll please...**

* * *

House walked back into Chase's apartment and took a quick look around. Everything was the way he left it last night. 

He didn't want to admit it but he was glad he took the night away from Chase. It gave him a sometime to think about Chase and Steven. To put the blocks back up so Steven didn't fall out too much. It also gave him some time to think about what to do with Chase.

It was time for some tough love with Chase. House knew the boy wouldn't be happy with what he was about to do, but he was at his wits end. And if Cuddy had resorted to threatening to fire him, than he was close to the end of his rope.

And House couldn't stand to loose another son.

Taking a deep breath, House barged into Chase's room. Seeing that he was awake, House grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the bed and into the living room. Positioning Chase in front of the full length mirror leaning against a wall House stood behind him, his hands on Chase's sides, making sure he didn't move. "Look at yourself." House ordered.

"No." Chase answered, keeping his head lowered.

"Look." House grabbed Chase's chin and redirected him to the mirror. "You're disappearing." He motioned to Chase's chest, and the prominent rib cage that was showing.

"I don't care."

"Yes you do."

"No. I don't want anyone to look at me. I hate the way I look. Always got me in trouble." Chase cried. House turned him around and steered him to the couch. They sat for a moment, House's arms around Chase, who was still crying.

"What kind of trouble?" House questioned.

"Pretty. Always said I was pretty. Don't want to be pretty. Said I was too good looking not to like boys. Said I was a fag. Only fags are pretty."

"Who said it?" House asked softly. He wondered if Chase ever said any of this to anyone. Or if this was the first time, these words saw the light of day.

"Justin."

"Who's Justin?"

"Thought he was a friend. Said he needed help in biology."

"The guy who raped you in college?" House asked for clarification.

"Tied me up. Told him no. Told him I wouldn't tell. Said he would. How I liked it. Tell my father. Had no choice. Every night." Chase said between sobs.

House hugged him closer to his body, letting him cry for a bit more. The bastard had tied him up. And he, House, had probably not helped Chase at all by doing the same thing to feed him. God he felt like a piece of crap. But there were more questions that House needed answers to. "How long, Robert?"

"Six months. Graduated. Came to the states. Never told him. Left everything, started over. I don't want to move again." Anything else that Chase tried to say after that was lost in a flood of tears.

"You don't have to move." House soothed. "It's okay. He's gone. He can't hurt you. Justin is just a memory. He's halfway across the world. If he hasn't come looking for you yet, he wont."

The two men sat for close to an hour, House holding on to Chase tightly as the younger man cried tears that he never shed before. Soon Chase was asleep. House reached for the remote and turned on the television. Keeping it low he surfed for something to watch.

It was about noon when House shook Chase's shoulder. "Come on. Get up. You need to eat something."

"Can't eat."

House thought the battle before was over. He didn't realize that this was just the eye of the storm. Sitting down on the coffee table in front of Chase, who was now sitting up. "Yes you can. We can see you're ribs." House once again pointed to Chase's chest. "Your body is feeding on itself. Next your organs are going to start to fail. You can't continue like this. Don't you want to come back to work?" House was grasping at straws trying to get though to Chase.

"No. Might say something. Someone else will hurt me."

"Robert? What do you mean?" House asked worried at what else Chase might say next. What they went though before was hard enough. He didn't know if they would survive or could survive more. But maybe it was good to get it all out now. Remove all the damage and close the wound once it's been cleaned.

"Be careful what you say. Be careful who hears."

"Did you say something? Is that why you were hurt?"

"My fault Joey is dead. I said he was gay. My fault he was killed."

"Who's Joey?"

"Didn't think anyone heard." Again Chase was crying. "Just Bill and I. Some one heard. Tracked Joey down. Killed him. Bill wasn't happy. My fault he was killed. I said he was gay. Told them do to him what they did to Joey. My fault. All my fault."

Again House wrapped his arms around Chase as his mind tried to wrap itself around what Chase had just said.

The mobster. He did this. Bill, the guy who gave him the car. Did this probably to get revenge. Of course they would take Chase. He got slapped by the brother for suggesting it the first time.

House had to call the cops and tell them. Maybe they could track down the goons who did this. House knew that it was wishful thinking. They probably all skipped town and were some where no one would find them. He had to talk to Wilson and Chase about what to do next.


	15. Chapter 15

Authors Note: Should probably have told you that there are mentions to the episode MOB Rules. Also as a warning, this talks in detail about Chase's attack and rape. If that stuff bothers you, you can skip this chapter and stay tuned for the next one. Again I'm addicted to reviews.

* * *

Two days later, Chase sat on his couch in sweatpants and a sweatshirt. His legs were crossed Indian style and a quilt around his shoulders. House and Wilson sat on each side of him as Detective Mike Staub set up. 

The more House had thought about it, the more he realized that Chase needed to tell the detectives what he knew. Even if it amounted to nothing it's what had to be done.

What he didn't expect was Chase's reactions.

At first Chase was angry at having to talk to someone else about what happened. But when House explained, Chase resigned himself to it.

It was a shame that his body and mind didn't believe it.

For the past two days Chase had not eaten or slept. He couldn't keep anything down. Chase tried to eat, but moments later it came back up. Even water wouldn't stay down. After the first day, Wilson brought some anti nausea meds. It did nothing but make Chase dry heave some more.

This morning, Wilson showed up with an IV hoping to at least get some fluids into Chase.

Chase's nights were spent sitting in his room just staring into space and rocking.

House was starting to get worried. Chase was deteriorating. Between the lack of food and sleep, Chase's body would soon stop working. One thing House was really worried about was Chase's kidneys. He had not seen the boy go to the bathroom in over a day.

After showing the detective in House started to explain how they met Bill and Joey Arnello. The accusation and the altercation.

"Dr. Chase. Can you please tell me what you remember."

"It was another crazy day. Patient was finally stable but not improving. We still had no idea as to what went wrong. Went home." Chase started out slowly. "I remember parking my car. Someone grabbed me. Everything went dark.

_**(flashback)**_

The sound of voices brought him back to consciousness. _Where was he? What the hell happened?_

The last thing he remembered was getting out of the car. Trying to figure out what was going on, a few more things registered to his brain.

One, he was blindfolded. Also his hands were tired around a pole of some sort. The third and the most disturbing was the fact that he was naked.

Weighing his options, Chase decided to keep quiet and listen to what was going on around him. Maybe he could reason with whoever took him. _Hell, it worked in the movies_, he thought.

"Is the camera set up?" _That voice sounded familiar._

"Yes sir."

"Don't start 'til everyone is ready." _Where had he heard that voice before?_

"Just waiting for two more."

There was silence, followed by an opening and closing of a door.

"You saw the police reports. You saw the pictures."

"Sorry 'bout Joey, boss."

_Slap_ "No names." The familiar voice said. But the slap. _Shit. It was the mob guy. The one whose brother I called gay. Shit. What are they going to do to me?_ Chase wondered, getting scared.

"Bring me the recording when you're done." The brother said.

"What if he dies?"

"So be it."

The door opened and closed again.

Chase was scared. He didn't know what these men were going to do to him. But he was sure that it was going to hurt.

The first foot came out of no where, hitting him in the stomach. Chase curled around trying to protect himself. It soon proved useless as it was followed quickly with a second, third, and fourth kick, all at different parts of his body.

He wanted to be brave. He didn't want to cry out. But the kicks kept coming. When one connected with his chest, he couldn't help the scream, as he felt his rib break.

It didn't matter anymore if he kept his screams and cries in. They wouldn't stop until they were done.

Chase started to wonder how much longer the torture would go on when the kicks stopped. It hurt to breath. His body pulsed with pain. He tried to listen, see if there were any clues as to how much longer this would be.

The hands grabbing his ankles made him jump. There were two sets. _So at least two men._ He then heard zippers and felt his legs being lifted up, taking his lower body with it.

_No._ Chase's mind screamed. _No, not again. I can't. They couldn't._ His mind tried to wrap itself around what was happening. Between the fear in the knowledge of what was about to happen and the pressure that was building in his chest he couldn't help but freeze and tense up, although he knew it would make what they were going to do him worse.

Chase wouldn't admit to himself what was about to happen. _Ignorance is bliss._ He told himself.

But the blunt end of a penis pushing against his tightened anus was anything but bliss.

Chase tried to block what was happening from his mind. He tried to think of work, cases, anything but the pounding in his chest and ass. But he couldn't. He felt the familiar thickening and release of fluids in his ass. Who ever raped him pulled out quickly enough, for it to hurt.

Before Chase could regroup, another penis was pushing it's way into him. With nothing else to do, Chase counted how many thrusts it took for each man to get off. _Like a center of a Tootsie Roll pop._

He counted a total of six different men.

When Chase's legs were finally released he gasped as his body hit the floor. The ground was cold and hard. He felt liquid pooling out of his rear. He didn't want to know if it was semen or blood.

He hoped and prayed that it was over. What ever was done to Joey was all that happened to him. _Don't want to leave. Where could I go? Maybe South America. Chile or Brazil sounded nice._ He was sure they would welcome an American/Australian doctor. As soon as he was able to he'd pick up and leave. _Only have a few months left on my fellowship. It worked when I left Australia._

Further plans were cut short when his left leg was lifted up and something hard, thick, long, cold, and rough was shoved up his ass. Chase couldn't stop the scream as he felt his insides tear.

"Shut the fuck up." Preceded something hard hitting his face. That was followed by darkness.


	16. Chapter 16

in case you couldn't guess, the flasback ended in the last chapter.

* * *

Chase just stopped talking. His body continued to rock back and forth silently. Eyes still focused on nothing. 

The three men sat in silence unsure if anything else was going to be said. "Chase?" House broke the silence.

Chase turned his head slowly towards House. His eyes started to focus. "Sick." He said before starting to gag.

House reached for a garbage pail he put on the side, but there was nothing in Chase's stomach. Nothing to come up. Just bile.

"Chase, calm down." House tried to sooth. But Chase couldn't. He continued to dry heave and started to hyperventilate.

"Is there anything I can do?" Detective Staub asked.

"Don't worry. We're doctors." House commented before focusing back on Chase. "Breathe." He ordered.

Wilson, being prepared, took a needle out of his pocket and stuck it into Chase's shoulder. "Just a sedative." He stated for anyone who cared.

The sedative was fast acting and Chase just slumped forward. House caught him and leaned him back against the couch.

"I'm sorry. But we really needed that information." The detective said, packing up and getting his coat.

"Really? I thought I called you just to further torture the boy." House bit out.

Wilson was fussing with Chase, so House took it upon himself to show the detective out.

"Now that we have a bit more to go on. One of the guys had a tattoo. With the mob link." Detective Staub started to ramble.

"Just get the fucks who did this. He needs this to end." House stated before closing the door on the detectives face.

"Greg, he's running a fever. There is no choice. We have to take him." House nodded at Wilson's statement.

House knew it would come to this.

How he wished he was wrong.

* * *

The ride to the hospital was silent except for the phone call House made to Cuddy. She was waiting by the entrance with a gurney. There were no nurses, no orderlies, as they wheeled Chase into a private room on the diagnostics floor. 

The only one in the room was Foreman with a pair of gloves on and all the equipment they might need out. "Cameron?" House asked as they lifted Chase on to the bed.

"With the patient. Thought to keep her away from here." Foreman answered.

For some reason, Cameron couldn't come to terms with what was happening to Chase. She never asked about him. On the phone, when discussing patients, she wouldn't address him. Foreman and Wilson wanted to call her on it.

Cuddy recommended that they deal with one problem, Chase, at a time. That maybe once things were settled with Chase, Cameron would revert back to her normal self.

If not, House had already agreed to let her out of her contract.

The four doctors worked in silence.

By the time they were done Chase lay in a hospital gown. He had an IV that was feeding him antibiotics and medication to keep him in a coma. There was a feeding tube and a foley catheter to measure what he took in and put out.

Wilson had taken about four vials of blood in order to run tests and see what organs were functioning and which ones weren't.

* * *

Four days later House sat by Chase's bedside waiting for him to wake up. House and Cuddy both agreed that four days on a feeding tube were enough for Chase to have gotten a good start at getting better. The blood work was also showing Chase doing better physically. 

House wanted to be in the room when Chase woke up and figured that him being there alone was the safest for all involved. He wasn't sure how Chase would react to everything that had gone on. House knew that he'd be pissed to find out that he spent the pass four days on machines controlling his life.

But now all the machines were gone. All that Chase was connected to was a heart monitor and an EEG to monitor his brain activity. House was adamant on all the tubes being taken out of Chase before they stopped the drugs.

House looked up from his Gameboy as the EEG started to record more brain activity.

"Chase?" House called moving closer to the bed.

"Okay. Yes I will. I know." Chase started to mumble as the brain activity increased. "You're right, he needs a son and I need a father. I'll let him. I promise Steven. I'll let him play daddy."

House sat back as Chase's eyes started to flutter open. Steven. Chase had mentioned Steven and fathers and sons. Could he have spoken to Steven while in the coma? Is there an afterlife? Was Steven looking down on him, watching him? If he was, House hoped that he wasn't too disappointed in his father.

"Hey." Chase's voice was hoarse.

"Let me get you some water." House put a straw to Chase's lips. "How are you feeling?"

"Odd. Better but odd." Chase's eyes started to close again.

"Sleep will be helpful. I'll be here when you wake."

With eyes already closed Chase whispered "Thanks dad."


	17. Chapter 17

Please stay tuned for authors note at the end.

* * *

Epilogue 

One year later

Robert Chase walked down the steps with his arms crossed over his chest. Greg House walked beside him with a hand on Chase's shoulder.

If asked, House and Chase would both say the hand was there to help support House down the many flights of stairs. But both knew it was more of a support for Chase and what he had just accomplished.

Detective Staub was able to use the information that Chase had given him and arrest one of the men who raped Chase. Agreeing to a plea bargain, he quickly turned his fellow rapists in.

The seven of them, they were able to arrest the guy behind the camera, who was filming the rape, were more than willing to turn and testify against Bill Arnello. They had gotten away with 3 to 5 years behind bars for their testimony.

Chase had also agreed to testify. His explanation was that it would finally close the door on the whole incident.

Today Bill Arnello had been sentenced. Ten to fifteen years behind bars.

And Chase had survived the whole ordeal.

"Let's get something to eat." House said as they made it to their bikes. After a ride on House's bike once, Chase remembered the exhilaration of the extreme sports that he had once taken part in. He quickly jumped back into mountain biking once he was fit enough. The motorcycle he bought for himself after he finished his testimony a month ago.

"Don't have much of an appetite." Chase answered, grabbing his helmet.

"Robert." House warned.

While Chase had mostly recovered from the beating, rape, drug and alcohol addiction, and almost starving himself to death, since he was asked to testify he had not been eating or sleeping well.

"You promised. We'll go to that bar. You know the one with the good burgers."

"Haven't been there in months." Chase couldn't help his mouth watering at the thought of a hamburger.

"Come on. Let's go."

* * *

Pulling into the bar Chase barely noticed the amount of cars that were there for three in the afternoon. 

Cuddy had given them both the day of Arnello's sentencing off. They weren't expected back at the hospital till tomorrow.

Cuddy had been wonderful since Chase had woken up from the drug induced coma, House and Wilson put him in. She had given him time to recover physically and even recommended someone for him to talk to.

Once he was cleared to return to work, Cuddy allowed him to work part time until he thought he was ready to get back to full days. It had taken a few weeks, but Chase eventually made it back to full time before his time as House's fellow ran out.

Chase was offered a position in ICU, which he immediately accepted. He was the only one of the ducklings who was given an offer. Being he stayed with the hospital, he continued to work with House, and also developed a strong friendship with Wilson and Cuddy.

House made sure that Chase preceded him into the bar.

Chase paused as he saw the banner hanging over the bar.

"IT'S OVER" was written in big green letters on a white banner.

"Robert?" The voice brought him out of the daze.

He looked up to see the familiar face of Eric Foreman in front of him. "Eric." He enveloped the other doctor in a hug. The two had not seen each other in over 5 months, when Eric took a job back in California. They talked on the phone twice in that time, but never for long, being they were both busy with work. "How are you?"

"I should be asking you that." Eric gave Chase a bottle of beer. Although Chase had a problem before with alcohol, he no longer used it as a drug, but drank a beer once in a while in a social scene.

"Better now that this whole thing is over."

"Dr. Chase?" A female voice came over.

Chase turned. "Dr. Cameron." He put his hand out to shake hers. While he and Eric had developed a friendship after he returned to work, Cameron had shied away from him. When he confronted her about it, she made some comment about it just being colleagues and that she couldn't be bothered with the personal lives of her colleagues.

Chase had been taken back by that. He was having a hard enough time dealing with everything else that was going on. What he needed was the support that he was getting from Wilson, Cuddy and Foreman, not Cameron turning her back on him. He had discussed it with Cuddy, who explained it as probably some sort of jealousy issue in regards to House.

Needless to say, Cameron bowed out of her fellowship a few months early, unable to work with the tension that had existed between her and the rest of the staff. It was more than a shock to see her here.

"I want to apologize." She started out. "I admit, I didn't know what was truly going on. And that part of me didn't want to know. All I knew was that everyone was worried more about you, and you had House all to yourself. I was probably jealous on some level. I'm glad that you are okay, and I'm sorry for the way I acted. We were more than just colleagues. I wish I hadn't blown it."

"It was a confusing time for everyone." One of the things that Chase had learned from his therapy and from House, was that the accepting and dealing were easier to do with when one was presented with the chance. Here he was given the chance with Cameron. He could just let it fester, but he didn't know when it might come back to bite him on the ass. "It hurt. I thought that you didn't care. I needed my friends, and you didn't want to help. You always want to help people. It seemed that I wasn't good enough. Thought it was because of what happened to me. What I did to myself."

"No. It had nothing to do with you. It was me. A close friend of mine was kidnapped when we were 15. She was abused, physically, sexually, and emotionally. She killed herself in my room, while I was sleeping. She left a note that she couldn't deal with people fawning and asking her if she was alright. It hurt. I didn't want that to happen to you. And I didn't think I could go through seeing a close friend self destruct again. I distanced myself to save myself. It was wrong. I really am sorry."

"Cameron, Allison. It's over and done with. I've moved on. You should too." Chase smiled at her. "So where are you and what are you doing?"

* * *

"You did good." Wilson commented from the bar looking over at the former ducklings. 

"I was wrong. You did right by inviting her." Cuddy nodded in House's direction.

"When will you believe me, that I know what I'm doing?"

"When the sun shines in hell." Cuddy took a sip of her soda. She still had to go back to work.

"He needs closure. And while it's all well and great that the trial is over, the issues with Cameron weren't. He'll be better now."

"And what about you?" Wilson asked.

"I'm no longer popping Vicodin like candy. Let me be." House had not been able to totally give up the Vicodin. While it was very rare that he took them, sometimes he had bad days and needed help with the pain. It was something that worked for all of them.

"And Steven?" Cuddy asked.

"Safe and looking out for us." House said getting up and walking over to cause some trouble for his three former underlings. He never spoke to anyone but Chase about what Chase said when he woke up from the coma. It was something personal and between the two of them.

He and Chase had both ended up in their respective dungeons. But each helped the other face their dragons and find sunlight again.

* * *

I want to thank you, my readers for reading and reviewing my work. With out you egging me on to continue I probably would have stopped this long ago. Thank you again for all the nice reviews and comments. I promise to have something new out for everyone before the end of June. 


	18. Thank You!

This is not a chapter just a little Thank You.

I really wanted to e mail all of you who sent a review but my e mail died and I lost all you're lovely comments. So I decided to do it this way. To all of you who liked it, thanks. I know that I could have stretched it out more, but I thought that I had dragged it on enough. I'm glad that it seemed real to most of you, that's what I was aiming for. To show that Chase had gotten better but wasn't totally healed. And of course the father son issue that was the underlying story of the work.

As for the Cameron issue. I apologize to all who were offended. I admit that I didn't draw her accurately. In all honesty, I wrote most of the story, and then realized that I didn't include her. And I couldn't do that. So I gave her a reason as to why. It seemed to also give the answer as to why she is always trying to fix things. Something happened in her past in a very personal way that she felt responsible for. In order to make up for the one she couldn't fix she tries to fix the rest of the people around her. The fact was that what happened to Chase and what he was going through was too close for her to deal with. I apologize to all who were offended.

Thank you all again for the wonderful ride this story has been.

Fire Top


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